


Cracking the spine

by kxkka



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Cute, First Meetings, Foreign Exchange Student John Laurens, Library, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-17 01:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16506506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kxkka/pseuds/kxkka
Summary: Meet cute at the school library.





	Cracking the spine

**Author's Note:**

> I just found this thing I wrote a while ago and it made me smile. So I thought it might make others smile too if I shared it.  
> It was meant to be longer but I’m posting it as a one shot because I don’t think I’d remember where it was going or be able to really continue it.  
> Thanks for reading.

“Excuse me?” The voice seemed a bit annoyed. Like maybe it wasn’t the first time it had said that. It probably wasn’t, Alex barely heard it over his sharp focus on the book he was reading behind his counter. “You in there?”

“Shit, sorry. My name’s Alexander, how can I help you?” He looked up and ran a hand through his face, trying to get out of the Revolutionary War he’d just been reading about and back to the 21st century. The man in front of him looked at him funny. “I’ve never seen anyone so concentrated, what were you reading?” “Um... Nothing, just…” He was always a bit embarrassed by the things he found interesting, knowing by experience his peers would roll his eyes and frown when he explained in unnecesary detail. “…letters from the Revolutionary War, you know, George Washington bitching about not having enough resources then kicking ass anyway.”

“Really? I didn’t know he was underfunded.”

“So you have no knowledge of the birth of our country then?”

“Well, seeing as it’s not really my country I’m not as embarrassed about my lack of historical knowledge as you’d think” The freckle-faced man smirked and Alex frowned.

“Where are you from? You don’t have a clear accent and I’m usually pretty good at identifying those. You’ve kinda spoiled a guessing game I play with myself.”

“See if you can figure it out on your own then.” The man grinned and turned to walk away and Alex got himself out of his thoughts for a second when he realized something.

“Wait! What did you need?”

He turned, still smiling. “Nothing at all, Alexander.”

 

*

 

“That wasn’t the bet”

“I got his name!”

“He has a name tag! You were supposed to get his number. I’m not paying.”

“I’m a slow-burn kind of guy, I will get it eventually, Laf.”

“The ever-confident John Laurens couldn’t get a pretty boy’s number?” Mulligan teased as they sat around their usual table at the coffee shop across school.

“Not any pretty boy, the one that keeps making him use the ancient computers at the library even though he has a brand new laptop at home” John glared at Lafayette. Yes, he’d been going to the library more often than he really needed, and yes, the equipment was a bit outdated, but it wasn’t only because of… Well, it was mostly because of Alexander, but it didn’t exactly harm him to get out of the apartment every once in a while.

John was studying graphic design, and while he did have a few classes that required him to read books and do research, it was mostly practical projects which kept him locked in the apartment he shared with Lafayette and Hercules, bent over his computer or sketching on his notepad and basically isolating himself from reality. He’d been encouraged to try the school library’s facilities by one of his professors, keen on getting her students off the internet, and he’d been scoffing about that idea until he’d caved and entered the actual room. John was a digital-age kid, he’d had his first computer at age 7 and his first internet friend at 12. He was all about blogs, social media and ebooks, but when he set eyes on the ancient library he suddenly couldn’t understand the appeal of the intangible. It was a stunning place, dark wood all around, and hundreds of shelves with books of all kinds. It was beautiful, yes, but also extremely intimidating. The first time he went in, he’d meant to bury his pride and ask about the library system, get some nice old lady to explain things and maybe even find his awe at the actual books endearing. But when he reached the counter and saw a young, cute man running his hand through his hair absent-mindedly while he read a big tome with the tiniest font he’d ever seen, all John could do was ask about computers, and he’d been swiftly pointed to the center of the room.

The following weeks had added a new incentive to his visits to the library. He’d usually go every couple of days, whenever he needed to unwind from his work and disconnect for a bit. He’d sit at the computers table but more often than not he’d pull out his notebook and sketch little corners of the library. He believed Alex would have forgotten about him, but every day when he arrived he’d nod a greeting and stare intensely at him as he walked over to his table, and when he walked back to leave he’d take a guess.

 

“Canada” was his first try, on Monday morning. It had taken John a few seconds to realize he was trying to guess his place of origin. He shook his head with a smile and left.

Wednesday evening, it was Portugal.

On Thursday, he tried Lebanon.

John couldn’t help but blush a little every time he turned after giving him a smirk and shaking his head no. For whatever reason this guy would not let go of this random piece of information he’d withheld from him. Evidently, playing the mysterious stranger seemed to work on Alexander.

 

*

 

Indeed, Alex was not used to not knowing something. He was an avid researcher and he’d always been proud of his conversational skills and his ability to detect subtleties that spoke about a person’s character. This enigma was puzzling him to no end, and he’d find himself unprecedently distracted from his tasks whenever this man was in the library. He didn’t even know his name, but he’d studied his features exhaustingly, to no avail. All the knowledge in his brain and still he couldn’t guess where this man had come from.

“Why do you care where he’s from? Just ask him out!” his best friend said, exasperated, after he’d began another of his ramblings on the shape of a person’s jawline in the middle of a movie.

“What? Ask him out? Angelica, please, it’s not like that.”

“Oh come on, you’re stubborn as hell but this is a whole new level of crazy. You’re obsessed!”

“Yes, with the complexities of genetic heritage!”

“No, with the face of a pretty boy whose name you don’t even know and are too much of a coward to ask” She sure knew how to play on his ego. Angelica smirked. They’d known each other for about five years and never had she seen Alexander so invested in someone yet so slow to act. She turned her face from the tv to see what was keeping him from giving a quick rebuttal to find Alex typing fast on his phone.

“John Laurens! There you go”

“Stalking is not any less cowardly, you idiot. I still win.”

“Shit”

“What?”

“He’s 21”

“Aww, you’re crushing on a little boy!”

Alex didn’t reply. It wasn’t a big deal, except it kind of was. Alex was 27, and hated the fact that he’d wasted years of his life before realizing what he wanted to do with his life. So now he was stuck as an overgrown sophomore with a crush on a guy six years younger than him.

“Oh come on, Alex! I was just joking, there’s nothing wrong with it, you know?”

“We’re ancient, Ang.”

“You may be older but you’re in the same boat. You’re both students, it’s not like you’re looking to get married and have kids!” Angelica was right. It wasn’t easy dealing with the fact that they’d both switched majors late enough that they’d been stuck behind with the younger kids, but he was definitely not in the mindset other people his age seemed to be getting to.

“I guess you’re right. What is it about passing 25 that makes people want to instantly settle down?”

“Beats me. No rush here!” They fist-bumped and Alex was at ease again. He didn’t know if he would have been able to muster up the courage to pursue his actual dream of studying History without Angelica’s support, and the feeling was mutual.

“I can’t believe we used to study law” He thought out loud.

“Don’t look at me, I was just doing it to please my father, you actually wantedto be a lawyer!”

“Yeah, well, I also thought I was straight, I clearly didn’t know shit at 19”

“Yeah, you didn’t have to steal my boyfriend to realize you were bi though” She teased.

“I didn’t steal him! And I wouldn’t call a fuck buddy your boyfriend, you avoided him every time he hinted at taking you out on an actual date. I did you a favor.”

“…Yeah, you did. Both of us. Did you hear he’s engaged now?”

 

*

 

John walked into the library hating his life. For the first time he actually had need of the books in there, and he knew there was no way he would find anything without Alexander’s help, thus forcing him to admit he was clueless as to how libraries even work. It pretty much ruined his plans for a slow build-up to maybe asking him out, his confidence riding on the smooth facade of the cool know-it-all.

“Hey…” he said almost painfully, sighing as Alexander’s eyes left the page he was reading and rose to meet his, his gaze intense and a smile forming in his lips.

“If it isn’t John Laurens, how may I help you today?”

“I… Wait, I never told you my name.” He felt a little bit of power coming back to him as Alexander gave the tiniest hint of a nervous laugh before replying.

“I have my ways. Colombia?”

“Finally getting warmer, I was afraid you’d forgotten there were countries south of the equator.” He smiled as Alex seemed to study his face further, evidently pleased he was finally making progress. “I actually do need your help today. It’s a bit embarrassing but I’ve no idea how this place even works and I need to browse some actual books…”

Alexander’s face fell suddenly and his eyes widened “You’ve never used our books? Dude, why do you even come here? I always assumed you were a self-reliant kind of member! You are missing out on somuch! Come on, you can’t waste another minute!” John was overwhelmed. For the next twenty minutes Alex walked with him around the library, explaining how to use his new membership card, showing him how the shelves were organized and warning him about not returning books on time. He talked passionately about first editions and rare manuscripts, every once in a while stroking a particularly elaborate spine. John could tell he loved this place, and he couldn’t help but be grateful he was discovering it with someone so passionate about it. When the tour was done, Alex returned to his place at the counter, leaving John to wander into the art section, still a little awestruck at the sheer amount of material available.

 

*

 

“Is it okay if I take this one? I know it’s big and maybe I should just read it here but there’s some things I want to mull over and it serves as good reference for-“

“John, you have a library card, you can take any book you need.” Alexander smiled, amused. He’d seen many kids who looked like they had never seen a physical book in their lives before, and he prided himself on making an effort to get them to appreciate the magic. But the way John Laurens seemed to have grasped the idea so quickly and thoroughly made his stomach jump a bit.

“Enjoy, Southern Hemisphere” he said as he returned his card and his book. John thanked him and walked away, and Alex couldn’t help himself from watching at him as he exited. As he stopped. As he turned back around and Alex tried to busy himself moving some papers around the desk to mask his staring.

“Hey, um… Thanks for not making me feel like an idiot today.” He was rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes squinted.

Alexander was having trouble not thinking about how cute he was being and coming up with a witty reply, but John spoke again.

“Can I buy you a cup of coffee? You know, as a thank you. Whenever you get off work?”

Was he being asked out? By a nervous 21-year-old? Alex took a quick look at the clock.

“I still have one hour to kill here, come by and we’ll go across the street, yeah?” John smiled widely, more relaxed now, it seemed.

“Awesome, see you then!”

 

Alex pulled out his phone and texted Angelica

 

**A.Ham:  
** _Kids today are so straight-forward!_

**A.Schuy:  
** _Please tell me you didn’t violate the sanctity of your library_


End file.
